


Nival (boyxboyxboyxboy)

by Naturalin



Category: Original Work
Genre: BoyxBoy, Comfort, Fantasy, Fluff, Hurt, M/M, MxM - Freeform, Polyfidelity, Rape, Sci-Fi, Yaoi, alien - Freeform, explicit - Freeform, mature - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:40:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21756172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naturalin/pseuds/Naturalin
Summary: Matthew flees a burning ship and is stranded on an arctic planet.A/N: This story is loosely based off of my other work Pet and fans of that series might enjoy this one too.Warning: This story is rated 18+ and is for mature audiences only.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 35





	1. Nival

"Please proceed to the emergency pods." A calm and androgynous voice repeated, as the ship shook and screams sounded all around them.

"Stay together!" Their mother shouted, and clutched Matthew's hand hard enough to bruise.

Matthew gripped his seven year old brother's hand tight and his big sister, Lucy, was right behind them. The crowd jostled hard and suddenly one of his hands was holding empty air.

"Jamie!" Lucy exclaimed, and lunged for their little brother, but his arms weren't strong enough to hold on and he was torn away.

"Wh...?!" Their mother cast a panicked look back, before the horde surged a second time, and she disappeared.

Lucy swung around, and fought through the masses, in the direction Jamie had gone. Matthew instinctively sought towards the youngest member of their family too.

"Jamie!" He screamed and an elbow smashed into his face.

The ship shook around them, and people screamed, pushing with renewed force. Matthew was swept along blindly, spots dancing before his eyes, and warmth running over his mouth and chin.

A large man gripped his elbow and pulled him through the crowd. "Come on, boy!"

"Lucy?" Matthew's shout was smothered in another person's shoulder and a jolt in his back pushed the air from his lungs.

"Come on!" The man jerked his arm violently and, in the next instant, Matthew was standing in front of a clear blue wall; shielding the black escape pods.

"This one has room for one more! Women and children first!" A blue suited guard shouted and people slammed their fists against the wall, screaming and pleading.

The man shoved Matthew forward and the guard's dark eyes locked on his face.

A blue clad arm went clean through the wall, seized Matthew's arm, and dragged him through a gap that flashed for an instant.

"No! Wait!" Matthew shouted, but he was pushed into a pod and the door slammed shut, lock flashing red, as the aircraft lifted.

"Sit down!" A guard inside ordered, and Matthew squeezed shakily into a seat beside a mother and her two children.

He watched through a tiny window as they flew away, along with several other escape pods, and saw a huge part of the ship was burning up in flames.

The little girl beside him wailed and her mother pressed the button to cloud the glass.

They had to be around seventy people in one escape pod and the space was small and hot. Matthew wiped sweat, and dried blood, off his face with his sleeve and accepted a bottle of water from the guard.

"We'll arrive at Kanzir station in two days time." The guard announced and the passengers responded with a mix of relief and annoyance.

"Are you okay?"

He looked down into the girl's large brown eyes. Her black hair was in two pigtails and she had a bruise on her cheek. She reminded him of Jamie and Matthew felt his lip tremble.

"Your nose is bleeding." The girl's eyes widened. "Are you crying?" She patted his leg with one small hand. "Does it hurt bad?"

"Sarah..." Her mother chided gently and smiled sympathetically at Matthew. "You'll see them at the station." She assured.

The boy nodded tightly and turned away to lean against the window.

She was kind, but his chest was shuddering too hard for him to speak.

This was supposed to be their family holiday. A trip on a Stella ship, to visit the beaches on the tropical planet Solis. One their single mom had saved up for years to afford - and then an asteroid had struck.

An incident like that was so rare; they hadn't even considered it a possibility.

.....

The escape pod was equipped with rations of vit-protein bars and cups of salty nutrient soup.

Matthew was nibbling a bar half-heartedly, tasting nothing, when an alarm sounded and an orange light flashed. The pod rocked hard and he hastily grabbed the wall.

"We've been hit by debris from the ship." The pilot announced. "Prepare for an emergency landing."

People exclaimed in horror and Matthew's blood ran cold. Debris. The Stella ship had exploded.

"Remain in your seats!" The guard ordered and opened a pad on the wall to swipe in a code. A strap fit onto Matthew's waist and tightened.

The children were situated too high, on their mother's lap, to fit into the automatic straps - and she struggled to hold them, while the pod shook violently.

Matthew grabbed the girl and wrapped his arms tight around her. The woman flashed him a wan smile and gasped at a second jolt of turbulence.

The girl gripped Matthew's waist, pressed hard into his chest, and wailed. He wouldn't let go of her. He wouldn't.

A terrifying twenty minutes later the turbulence eased and Matthew cleared the glass to stare at an icy landscape. Snowy peaks stretched on for miles and his breath caught.

"We've arrived at Nival." The pilot announced. "An arctic planet with no intelligent life. We'll stop shortly, until the debris has cleared."

Unease rippled through the crowd. The girl cried for her mother and Matthew passed her over with trembling arms.

There was a light pressure as the pod landed and the guard undid his buckle.

"I'll need a few strong men and one small to check the engine and fuel tank." The guard announced and opened a cupboard to put on a black heat suit. "The air pressure is a little low, but nothing we can't handle." He zipped up his suit and turned expectantly.

Four men stood, but the rest were women and children. The guard selected two and looked around. "You." He pointed to Matthew and threw him a packet.

The boy numbly ripped the plastic and unfolded the papery suit. It felt thin, but it was enforced with heat patches that activated when exposed to the cold. He stepped into it and it suctioned onto his clothes.

The door opened in a rush of icy air and several passengers gasped. Matthew was waved out first - and he took a breath and jumped the short way down into soft snow.

He staggered, momentarily blinded by white, and the chill air stung his lungs, before his suit warmed.

Icy cliffs stretched on for miles and they appeared to be on the largest one - but there still wasn't much room for the pod - and it was a tremendous drop below.

The remaining men jumped out and the guard led them around to the back of the pod.

A large part of the underside was dented and there were some unsettling tears in the aircraft's glossy side.

"The fuel tank should be green." The guard said and gestured to Matthew. "Climb in and check."

The fuel tank was sealed away during travel. But there was an emergency duct that was just big enough for a small man, or a teenager, to climb into. Matthew wormed his way inside and soon saw the screen flashing purple.

"I-it's purple!" He shouted and heard the guard curse.

"That means it's leaked." The man shouted instructions for an engine check and Matthew heard steps crunch through the snow.

He hurriedly shuffled out of the small space and squinted against the blaze of snow. Movement flashed on the cliff above them and he gasped.

The two men stepped past him, carrying a large black cylinder, that they pushed into a slot beneath the ship.

"I saw something!" Matthew said and the men looked at him.

"Saw what?" A middle-aged man, with greying hair, wanted to know.

"A...A white figure."

The guard pressed his hand into a hold and a snap sounded, followed a hiss of air. "It's probably just a goat." He said dismissively. "They're big, but skittish. Go and check it now."

Matthew rubbed his freezing hands and looked back uneasily, but there was nothing to see, and he climbed back into the duct.

"It's green!" He called and heard panicked shouts outside. The cliff suddenly groaned, ice cracking, and Matthew's heart briefly stopped beating.

"Get out, boy! Get out now!" A man shouted and steps ran.

Matthew hurried out, and fell in the snow, when the cliff tilted to the side.

"Boy!" The middle aged man shouted and Matthew had just enough time to see horrified blue eyes watching him, before the door to the pod shut, and the aircraft lifted.

The cliff crashed into the peak next to it and, Matthew screamed as he rolled over the edge, and plummeted into the abyss.

There was a moment of terrifying weightlessness, before he sank into a deep plume of snow. Going down. Down.  
Until he was cushioned in the dark.

Matthew dug into the snow above him, and beside him, praying fervently that he didn't start an avalanche.

A half hour later he sat exhausted and panted the thinning air around him. He had to calm down. He didn't know how much oxygen he had left.

The thought only made him breathe harder and he curled up to cry exhausted tears.

The suit circulated warm blood into his fingers, and prevented frost-bite, but the skin had turned blue and his nails were starting to bleed.

Suddenly he heard furious digging above him and he stiffened.

The being was moving fast. Like an animal. Or a machine.

A painful spark of hope lit in his chest. Had they come back for him? He didn't think the pod could fit between the icy peaks. But maybe they had other ways to reach him.

He knelt tensely. Hardly daring to breathe.

As the harsh sounds neared he became more and more convinced that this was a living thing. And his heart hammered.

The snow trembled above him and abruptly crumpled in a shower of ice. He shielded his head and heard a gasp.

He looked up and stared into a boy's face. Except he wasn't human at all.

His skin was pure white, eyes solid black ovals, and hair like a fuzzy white cloud. He also had two huge ears on top of his head - similar to those of a fennec fox - and his arms glistened with a dense coat of icy fur; like a seal.

The boy snarled savagely, revealing long fangs and a black tongue.

Matthew fell back, throwing up his arms, and squeezed his eyes shut.

"Hey!" A voice shouted and Matthew whipped his head up in shock.

The boy jumped back, then cautiously scuttled back down, ears flattened against the narrow entry.

"What are you?" The boy demanded and Matthew's jaw dropped.

He spoke. He spoke a language that Matthew's translation chip acknowledged and that meant he was intelligent.

"I...I...Hi." Matthew said numbly.

The boy barked excitedly - scuttling back up and quickly down again - sending another shower of snow down on the human's head.

"What are you?" The boy repeated and Matthew wiped the snow from his face, yelping when he pressed his broken nose carelessly.

"I'm a human." He said and grit his teeth against the throb.

"How old?" The boy wanted to know and tilted his head enquiringly.

"S-sixteen."

The boy blinked those inky eyes and moved even closer. "You're young! So am I!"

Matthew's hope began to rise again. He'd seen aliens a far sight scarier than this one, on the screens back home, but seeing one in the flesh was still unnerving. Even if he was young...and strangely pretty.

"Did your pack fly away?" The boy asked.

Matthew frowned briefly, before the alien's meaning registered, and his eyes abruptly filled.

"I don't know if my family is still alive." Matthew choked and the alien's eyes widened. "I escaped a burning ship."

At that moment fierce digging sounded around them, and the boy produced sharp animal barks in between words. "Wait! He's not a threat!"

Snow crashed down on Matthew's head and the surface beneath him gave away.

"Help!" He screamed and lunged for the boy.

A black clawed hand gripped his arm and he was hauled through the crumpling tunnel. Matthew flung his arms around the boy's sleek body and felt the alien dig upwards with hands and feet.

"Stop!" The boy shouted, barking louder, and the digging around them ceased.

Soon the air became stronger and Matthew gulped in huge lungfuls, before they surfaced - and his chest clamped tight.

They were surrounded by lithe white aliens. And these were older. Larger. And some even carried vicious looking spikes on their backs.

"Mian, get away from that!" A deep voice boomed and Matthew's heart stuttered at the sight of a massive male baring his fangs.

"He's weak and hurt!" The boy, Mian, shouted right into Matthew's ear and his head rung. The alien's vocal chords were strong and high; made to carry over long distances.

"He lost his pack, Talan! He's young!" Mian continued and some of the aliens visibly relaxed. Ears lifting curiously.

The male, Talan, snarled and lifted from his crouch to tower above the rest. "Come here!"

Far from being intimated, Mian caught Matthew around the waist and moved forward eagerly. The boy stepped easily on the soft snow, but Matthew's shoes sunk right through, and Mian had to drag him up.

Talan strode towards them and Mian hastily stepped away; leaving Matthew to stand frozen with terror.

A taloned hand promptly shoved him in the chest and Matthew crashed into the snow. In a flash, teeth set against his neck and the boy's eyes went wide.

Hot breath dampened his skin and those teeth felt very sharp. But they didn't bite down. Not yet.

Time passed, while the alien growled, and Matthew began to feel faint from holding his breath. Finally, the teeth withdrew.

"Weak." Talan agreed, with a satisfied note, and he reached down to pull the stupefied human to his feet.

"You lost your pack?" Black eyes cut into him, from well over six feet of height. Talan's seal hide chest was bulky with muscle and his crotch was covered by white bands of leather.

Matthew nodded jerkily and a rush of dizziness clouded his eyes. "The ship was burning. I don't know if they made it." He rasped and coughed to clear his dry throat.

"And your people abandoned you." Talan sneered derisively, and the aliens around them bared their teeth or growled.

"They didn't have a choice." Matthew whispered hollowly. The surface of the cliffs wasn't safe to land on.

The male barked scornfully and the aliens around them echoed it. "There's always a choice. What did your mother call you?"

"My mother...uh...Matthew." He stumbled, exhausted mind taking longer than normal to interpret the strange wording.

Talan flashed Mian a hard look. "You found him, you keep him."

Mian's ears lifted and his fuzzy white tail started wagging excitedly.

"...Keep." Matthew repeated thinly, but Talan was already loping away to climb up a cliff.

**A/N: Story fact: The name 'Nival' is Latin and means "living in or under snow."**

**Please comment and let me know if you like this story 💙**


	2. Santh

The group followed suit, though a few stayed behind to watch the younger boys.

"Come!" Mian took his arm, led him to the cliff wall, and began to climb.

Another male, compact with muscle, shoved Matthew in the back and the human stared despairingly up at the cliff. "...I can't climb that."

Mian turned with an incredulous stare and several aliens barked with laughter. The male behind Matthew grabbed his hand and thumbed one of his blunt fingernails.

Mian scuttled back down and presented his back. "Get on."

Matthew considered the boy's slender build doubtfully. His muscles shook with exhaustion and - even if Mian was strong enough to carry him - Matthew feared he would lose his grip and fall to his death.

But he was stranded in a world of ice and there was no other way up or down. He climbed on shakily, and tightened his arms and legs, as hard as he could.

Mian straightened with a grunt and hooked his claws into the ice.

Snow scattered down from the aliens above and Matthew scrunched his eyes shut.

A terrifying while later, he felt Mian's muscles bunch, as he heaved them over a ledge, and then they were blessedly horizontal.

Matthew cautiously opened his eyes and yelped with horror. They were balancing on a thin wall of ice over a seemingly endless drop. Mian snarled and tightened his claws.

"Hold still!" The boy barked and Matthew froze; muscles so tense, he could barely feel them.

He squeezed his eyes shut, pulse hammering in his throat, and Mian continued onwards. Soon, a shine of light painted the inside of his lids red and the air warmed.

He squinted through his lashes, just as Mian ducked through a tunnel, and shimmied into a chamber.

The inside of the mountain shone with black minerals, like a geode, and the polished peaks glittered from the glow of a roaring fire.

The remaining aliens climbed in behind them, and one slapped Mian on the arm, with a few gruff words of approval.

It took Matthew a moment to unlock his cramped muscles and slide to the smooth stone floor. His legs trembled and his eyes couldn't seem to focus.

"Hey, hey." Mian steadied him and Matthew blearily noticed that the boy was only a few inches taller. "Can you walk?"

The cave felt like a sauna, but Matthew was starting to shiver, and his nose throbbed terribly.

He didn't know what he looked like, but Mian's black eyes widened and he hastily reached for Matthew's suit - snarling when the slippery material slid through his claws. "Take this off!"

Matthew fumbled for the zip with clumsy, swollen fingers. His digits were so frozen, he could barely grip the plastic tag.

The alien watched his movements closely, then pushed his hands away, and unzipped his suit the rest of the way; revealing Matthew's t-shirt and jeans. Mian blinked.

"Why?" The boy exclaimed, with a growl of frustration, and pulled at his clothes.

"Mian?" A soft voice spoke.

Mian's ears perked and his frothy tail swished.

"Fie, come help me!" He demanded and Matthew blinked dazedly at the small boy, stepping hesitantly away from a group of curious onlookers.

He was delicate and slender. With a gently rounded face and overly large black eyes.

"He's harmless and wounded." Mian ripped into Matthew's t-shirt and exposed his shivering, hairless chest. The alien yelped and hastily felt the torn fabric. "This wasn't fur, was it?"

"No..." Sweat poured down his temples, and Matthew couldn't even bring himself to mind that he was being stripped, in front of a dozen black eyes. And more to come; judging from the barks and yips echoing nearby.

His head began to pound, and he tipped forward, leaning heavily against Mian. Nausea bubbled in his gut and his mouth filled with sickening saliva. He panted, eyes shut, and attempted not to throw up all over his rescuer.

Mian barked loudly, sending a sharp stab of pain straight through Matthew's skull, and arms wrapped around his waist and shoulders.

He was led blindly forward and his feet stumbled over the stone floor.

"Clio!" Mian barked and the human groaned. A third bark, more high-pitched, rang at his shoulder and agony seared behind his eyes.

.....

He woke slowly to the gentle popping sounds of a crackling fire. His body was cushioned by furs and his head still pounded - but his nose was only a little tender - and the room felt pleasantly warm this time, not stifling.

There was a light clink and the unmistakable sound of water pouring into a cup. He peered through his lashes and saw the small alien, Fie, sitting beside him.

The boy's ears were even larger than Mian's and his fuzzy hair was long; rippling down his seal-hide spine to brush over his hips. Fie set down a stone pitcher and Matthew's mouth felt suddenly parched.

"Ca-can I have some, please?" He rasped.

The boy started and water sloshed over the edge of the cup. He wet his lips, with a small black tongue, and watched Matthew out of the corner of his eye.

The human stayed very still and attempted to seem as non-threatening as possible. It wasn't difficult; he felt weak as a kitten, and his nose was clogged with blood, leaving him to wheeze through his mouth.

Fie passed him the cup slowly, and Matthew brought it to his lips with trembling fingers. The water spilled over his cheeks and Fie hurriedly steadied his hand.

Matthew finished the cup in two large gulps and gasped for air through his mouth.

Fie stared down at him silently. Their hands were still touching and there was an infinitesimal change in the alien's face.

Matthew couldn't pinpoint it exactly; maybe a softening in the corners of his white mouth, or a smoothness in his brow.

"Your nose was set." Fie whispered, black gaze reflecting Matthew's bruised eyes like a mirror. It was unnerving and the human looked away.

"Thank you." Matthew croaked. He felt bone weary and it took a conscious effort to stay awake.

The boy shifted closer, cottony tail curling beside Matthew's cheek.

"Mian said...you survived a fire?" Fie had hesitated, as if he'd meant to say something else.

Matthew swallowed past the sudden lump in his throat.

_They'd sat in one of the ships sleek restaurants, ordering breakfast, when the windows had lit up in a shower of stars. Lucy had laughed with delight, and reached for her camera, just moments before the asteroid struck._

"Y-yes..."

_And then the screams and the stampede had started._

Fie whined softly and adjusted his grip to clasp the human's fingers more firmly. And Matthew thought of his brother's small hand.

_Poor Jamie. He'd been so exited to go. Large eyes shining as he packed his backpack, containing the few precious essentials mom had allowed him to bring._

_He'd been jumping around their apartment, like a grasshopper, for weeks; counting down the days until he'd get to fly on a real starship._

_And then he'd cried his heart out, when they'd left their dog with the neighbors._

_Because he was good. A little light to brighten the dark. And just seven years old._

_And Matthew had let him go._

Cramping pain churned in his gut and Matthew's face crumpled. He turned on his side and then he was crying - like he hadn't cried since he was a child - harsh, ragged sobs that gripped his lungs and heart with iron strength.

Warm arms wrapped around him and Fie's slender body pressed close. Matthew clutched the boy's furred back, not caring if Fie was a stranger or another species. Because his loved ones were gone. And even if they lived, he didn't think he'd ever see them again.

.....

Some time later, when Matthew had cried himself hoarse - and the pain settled like a leaden weight in his gut - Mian arrived with a bowl of broth.

"Here." Mian placed the bowl on the floor and lifted Matthew against his chest. Fie stayed curled around him, velvety head warm against his shoulder.

Matthew had never been this close to another boy before, much less two. And he was vaguely aware of the fact that he was naked.

But this was a different world, with different customs - and he was vulnerable and hurting - and extremely thankful for the contact.

Mian proffered the bowl and Matthew turned his head. His stomach felt tight and the thought of filling it only made bile rise.

"No, thank you." He whispered and closed his eyes.

"Eat!" Mian barked.

Matthew jolted hard and the bowl was suddenly pressing to his mouth. He drank fast, to avoid a second spill, and half-drowned when the alien tipped the bowl further.

Fie whined and Mian permitted Matthew a few breaths.

The human heaved and licked his dry lips. The broth was hot, but not scorching, with tiny chunks of salty meat.

His stomach churned, before growling loudly. Fie's hand settled on his belly and moved in soft circles. It felt good. Soothing.

Mian tipped the bowl again and Matthew drank willingly. When it was empty the pounding in his head had eased a bit and his head fell back against Mian's sleek shoulder. His eyes closed and his muscles relaxed.

"He's a _Santh_." Fie said quietly, hand still stroking gently. Matthew's translator didn't recognize the term and he heard it in the alien's sibilant tongue.

Mian's hand brushed over the human's chest, circling his nipple curiously. "I think you're right." He murmured, breath warm against Matthew's ear.

"I always am."

.....

Matthew startled awake when he was hauled onto Mian's back. Fie steadied his spine, and Mian gripped his thighs, before climbing into a tunnel.

The temperature dropped to freezing and ice cut into Matthew's lungs. He shuddered and pressed his face into the aliens warm neck.

"Almost there." Mian reassured.

They moved down a steep incline and the air gradually warmed. Mian slipped through an opening at the bottom and entered a cavern.

Matthew couldn't see a thing, but he could hear the familiar sounds of soft snores and sleeping bodies.

Mian stepped easily through the dark, and lowered Matthew onto a fur, and heat seemed to emanate from the stone beneath it.

Mian pressed up against Matthew's back and folded an arm around his waist. Light steps moved around them, and Fie settled against his front, and pushed a slender leg between his knees.

"Come here." A boy whispered.

Fie breathed a whine and his tail curled around Matthew's thigh. "Tomorrow."

The stranger growled and another voice shushed them sharply.

Fie was lying so close, Matthew could feel the boy's breaths on his chin, and Mian's nose nuzzled into the hair at his nape.

His heart felt like a cold stone in his chest and he knew it wouldn't thaw anytime soon. Maybe not ever.

But the bodies against him were warm and comforting. Fie wiggled a little closer and soft lips pressed tentatively against his throat.

To be continued.


	3. Dream

**A/N: I recommend re-reading chapter 1 and 2, otherwise Matthew's dream might be a bit confusing ^^**

_Matthew walked down the stairs and stepped into a small kitchen. The walls were painted a fresh green - but an area, above the stove, was swatched buttercup yellow. His mom, Caroline, could never decide on a shade and it wasn't unusual to see patchworks of color, and buckets of paint, strewn around their apartment._

_Carlo, a grey terrier, lifted from his bed and padded slowly to greet him. Matthew scratched the dog behind the ears and his stumpy tail wagged. He was a gentle soul - getting old too._

_Jamie had picked him out at the shelter on his fifth birthday._   
_Carlo had been a grey cloud tucked in a corner of his pen - watching them pass by with dark, hopeless eyes._

_Jamie had stopped and watched the terrier thoughtfully. The attendant had been eager to show him younger, more energetic dogs - but Jamie's attention had been caught and he pressed his hand through the bars._

_Carlo had watched him right back; quietly assessing. Jamie waited patiently and the dog had finally stood and moved towards him. He'd touched the boy's palm lightly, with just the tip of his nose, and Jamie had made his decision. And Matthew was thankful; he liked the peaceful dog._

_His mom had already left for her day job, but she'd left out bowls of cereal and a note on the table. Matthew popped a few slices of bread in the toaster and read it absently._

_She asked Lucy to do the laundry and Matthew to walk the dog and collect Jamie from school. It was signed with four hearts, one for each of them, including Carlo. Matthew smiled and got two plates from the shelf._

_Fast steps ran down the stairs, while he buttered the toasts and put a mild slice of cheese on top._

_"Hey, Jay." He set the plates on the table and poured plant-based milk into their cereal._

_Jamie's hazel eyes flitted in Matthew's direction, before he knelt to pet Carlo. His black hair fluffed up in messy tufts and he wore his favorite galaxy pajamas._

_"Apple juice or orange?" Matthew opened the fridge and looked back expectantly._

_Jamie sat and took a bite of his toast silently. Matthew frowned. Jamie usually picked apple, and he poured the juice into his brother's cup, and chose orange for himself._

_"Alex got me tickets for the time-warp game. It's on Friday." He tempted._

_Time-warp was the newest sensation and Jamie never missed a game on screen. But his little face remained still as he picked through his cereal. Delicate lavender shadows were beneath his eyes and his skin looked awfully pale. Carlo whined and Matthew felt a sudden chill._

_"Jamie..."_

_In the next instant Matthew was sitting on the stairs in the hallway, tying his shoelaces. Lucy stumbled past him, schoolbag nearly clipping him on the head._

_"Sorry! I forgot Maddie!" She threw the bag on the floor and reached for her boots._

_Maddie was her best friend and Lucy forgot her often. Not because she didn't care, but because she was scatterbrained and fit too much into her day._

_"Luce..."_

_She glanced back at him through a tangle of dark hair, hopping on one leg to fit on her boot. "Yeah?"_

_"Jamie's mad at me." The words were accompanied by a sharp sting in his heart. Jamie often had tantrums, but he was rarely angry._

_"I know." She fit on her second boot. "But it was an accident. Give him some time."_

_"I-it was. I'd never..." His throat tightened and his eyes filled. "How do I fix this?"_

_There was a faint thudding outside. Like people running._

_Lucy straightened and tucked her hair behind her ears. She wound a red scarf loosely around her neck and turned to smile at him gently._

_She had their mother's olive toned skin and their late father's blue eyes. And sometimes, when she looked at him like this, she seemed so much older than her seventeen years._

_"Some things you can't fix." She said quietly._

_Matthew stared up at her, his heart ached, and tears scorched down his cheeks._

_"I love you, Luce." He whispered._

_"I love you, too." She hefted her bag and opened the door to a shower of stars._

——————————————

Matthew woke with a sharp inhale and tears burning in his throat. The world was pitch black. A body was pushing down on him and, for a panicked moment, he didn't know where he was.

His throat produced a choked sob and the body against him stirred; smooth, short fur brushing his skin.

"Hmm." The hum was accompanied by a gentle nuzzle to his temple.

Reality came crashing down and Matthew gripped a seal-hide spine.

"F-Fie?"

A soft mouth brushed over his ear, light as a moth wing, and Fie crooned in response. Mian was gone, lost somewhere in the sea of sleeping breaths around them.

A tear slid down his cheek and his chest heaved. He knew dreams weren't real. Knew there was no such thing as a premonition. But it had felt real. And damning.

A warm tongue licked the wetness from his cheek and clawed fingers pressed into the hair behind his ear, scratching lightly.

It was nothing like the touches Matthew was accustomed to. A kiss on his cheek or a hug. But it was comfort nevertheless and he desperately needed it.

Fie's hand brushed over his ribs and chest; moving in warm, slow circles.

Matthew's eyes closed, he let his head fall back against the furs, and surrendered to the caresses. Fingertips brushed over his throat, tracing the chords lightly, and lips whispered over his jaw.

And even though Matthew vaguely understood, it was still a shock when the alien's leg curled around him and a hard cock pressed onto his groin.

He gasped and Fie licked into his mouth - hips moving in time with his breaths - and a tingling ache began to build in Matthew's pelvis.

The body against him was small. But hard and male. There was no mistaking Fie for anything else. And Matthew knew the tongue in his mouth was black as ink. But it tasted good. It felt very good.

His nose was still clogged and, when the need to breathe became too much, Fie lifted to let him pant for air before dipping down to slant their lips at a new angle.

The dick against him felt strange. Smooth and warm. And a viscous substance was slicking their movements and making soft squishing sounds.

"Mm." Matthew quickly tightened his throat. He hadn't meant to make a sound and he was painfully aware of the aliens around them.

Fie crooned and suckled his neck, sharp teeth teasing the skin gently, and Matthew's cock pulsed. His breathing hiccuped and his ass clenched. And Fie was abruptly humping; short, hard rubs that sent liquid fire rushing south.

"Hn!" The orgasm ripped into him. Lights burst behind his eyes and he bucked up to meet each thrust.

Fie whined in his ear and shuddered. Warm wetness burst over Matthew's belly and the alien melted against him; pressing him into the damp furs.

Matthew's thundering heart gradually slowed and his eyes shut. Euphoria sang through his veins and he slid his hand up into the boy's fuzzy hair - soft as fox fur - and Fie's little nose nestled behind his ear. Breathing softly.

He thought dimly of his first kiss, a few months back, with Harriet Fall. He'd asked her out because his friends said she liked him and she was pretty. He'd enjoyed talking to her, when they walked through the park, but he didn't want to touch her and their kiss had been awkward and stiff.

This was so different. The heat from the stone was drying the furs and Fie was a satisfying weight on top of him; keeping him safe and grounded in the dark. And Matthew wanted to kiss him again. Wanted to smell him and taste him and keep him close.


	4. Fire

**Chapter 4.**

Matthew woke to soft kisses on his throat and jaw. Fie was twined around him, body firm and warm. He lifted a hand to the alien's spine and felt a leaden ache in his arm.

A slight shift revealed a soreness in his entire body; muscles strained and overexerted from the previous day.

He groaned and Fie nuzzled his ear.

"Come on. We go now." The alien whispered and sat up.

Matthew missed the smaller boy's weight instantly. The cave was still pitch black and he could hear the shift of bodies and vulpine breaths all around him, raising the hairs on the back of his neck.

"F-Fie?" He gripped the seal-hide thighs on either side of his hips and Fie's hands settled on his wrists, pulling him gently into sitting position.

Matthew winced at the burn in his spine and wrapped his arms around Fie's small waist, feeling the dense fur brush over his fingers.

"Can't you see at all?"

Fie's breath warmed Matthew's cheek and he turned blindly towards it. "No. Not in the dark."

There was a moment of silence and then Fie nuzzled his jaw.

"Come on." The alien repeated and urged Matthew to his feet.

His steps were painful and stiff at first, but it distracted from the bestial sounds.

Bodies whispered past them and Matthew jolted when a tiny shape darted between his legs.

Fie guided him to the cold lip of the tunnel and Matthew attempted to climb inside, but it was too steep and Fie wasn't large enough to carry him.

"Wait here." Fie's nose touched Matthew's nape briefly and then he was gone.

Matthew hunched on the stone slope and his senses expanded, compensating for his lack of sight, and each shape that passed him felt like a physical weight.

"I'm here."

He jumped when Fie lightly touched his shoulder. Then jumped again when huge hands gripped his waist. They were rough and warm with long claws.

"W-who..." Matthew reached out blindly and felt hard muscles beneath his fingers.

"Quiet." Talan's deep voice rumbled and Matthew pressed his lips together, heart pounding.

Talan lifted him and, with Fie's assistance, he latched onto the larger male's back.

Talan's skin was hot and damp beneath his fur and Matthew was painfully aware that his naked groin was pressing into the alien's spine.

Talan climbed, muscles stretching and bunching, and Matthew's arms and thighs burned as he tightened his grip.

Claws clacked over the stone behind them, fading fast, and Matthew knew Fie was struggling to keep up.

The air gradually chilled until it was freezing, but a light sparked at the end of the tunnel.

They reached the top and entered a large room, with the glittering black walls, that Matthew remembered from the day before.

A fire blazed in an oval fireplace and aliens moved purposefully around them, fuzzy alien children in their arms or following at their heels.

"Down." Talan growled.

Matthew obeyed so fast, he stumbled onto the stone floor.

Talan straightened to his full height, dwarfing the human by three heads, and this close Matthew could see several large scars marring the alien's fur.

Fie arrived a moment later, out of breath.

"You interrupted." Talan stared down at Fie and the small alien's ears instantly flattened, eyes dropping to the ground. "Next time, you ask someone else."

Fie nodded quickly and whined, plumey tail tucking between his legs.

Talan eyed him for a moment longer, then turned back to Matthew, who was shivering hard enough for his teeth to clack together. The fire hadn't warmed the stone yet and the floor was icy beneath his feet.

"You think he belongs here?"

Talan's claws raked through Matthew's hair and he barely controlled his flinch.

Fie's large ears lifted a fraction and he peaked up through his lashes. "Yes. I felt him." He whispered.

Talan leaned down and now Matthew did flinch, but he managed to stay still.

Talan's body radiated heat like a furnace and his nose pressed against Matthew's neck, inhaling deeply. A hot tongue rolled over his pulse and the human made a small sound.

He remembered those long canines and thought frantically of wolves in the wild and their display of dominance and submission.

Slowly, hoping to god he was reading the situation, he tilted his head to offer more of his throat.

Warm breaths gusted over his skin and Matthew dug his nails into his palms and swallowed convulsively. Finally, Talan straightened.

He ruffled Fie's dandelion hair in silent approval - and the boy's ears perked, fuzzy tail wagging - and loped back down the tunnel.

Matthew's breathed out harshly and wiped his neck with a trembling hand. "I'm sorry, I got you in trouble..."

Fie's white mouth curved and he stepped forward to stroke down Matthew's arm, blinking curiously at his goosebumps.

"No, it was my mistake. Come, this way." Fie led him to another tunnel and a low bark sounded across the room.

"I need a hand." Said a small female with an angular face and two struggling babies in her arms; batting at each other with tiny fangs and claws.

"I can't, Senna." Fie answered softly, ears lowering a fraction. "I have other duties."

Senna huffed and her black eyes briefly narrowed on Matthew, before she ducked into a passage.

Matthew followed Fie down a path where the black stone faded to blue and the air grew humid and warm, like a sauna.

Red torches lit the walls, providing just enough light to lead them into a cave filled with springs.

Steam rose from the water and the sounds of light splashes, yips and quiet laughter echoed throughout the cavern.

"Every morning we light the fires and wash the kits." Fie explained softly and led Matthew to an unoccupied spring lined with white bowls.

The glow of the torches played over the dark water and it was impossible to judge its depth.

Matthew hesitated uncertainly by the edge and Fie stepped in first. The water reached the alien's chest and Fie looked up expectantly.

Reassured, the human followed. His feet flowed through liquid warmth and met a rough stone ledge. He sat and sighed when the heat eased his sore muscles.

Fie reached back and pulled one of the bowls closer. "This is Tera." He poured some glittering crystals into his hands. "It cleans our fur."

Fie rubbed a small portion onto Matthew's shoulder, pausing when his skin turned pink. "...does it feel good?"

"It's fine." Matthew cupped water into his hands and carefully rinsed the blood from his tender nose. He inhaled a wonderfully clear breath and exhaled slowly.

The alien made a canine sound of acknowledgement and ran the grains gentler over Matthew's neck and chest.

"Remember the ears." Fie whispered and rubbed Matthew's ear softly.

It felt strange to be washed there. To be washed by another person at all and Matthew found himself smiling.

"Lift up." Fie instructed and the torches caught the gleam of his small fangs as he smiled back.

Matthew hesitated. Fie had already seen him naked. Had kissed him. Touched him. But somehow this felt more intimate and he wasn't sure why.

Fie nudged him gently on the hip and Matthew gripped the stone edge and stood slowly. Fie guided him to sit beside the bowl and pressed between his legs to scrub his arms, waist, legs and even his feet.

Matthew's cheeks flamed and he watched the alien closely in the dim light.

There was nothing suggestive in Fie's movements and his round little face only looked calm and focused - but Matthew had never had a crush like this before and it was impossible for his body not to react.

He inhaled sharply when Fie's small hand wrapped around him, lifting his penis against his belly to stare at his testicles covered by a light patch of dark pubic hair.

Matthew squirmed self-consciously. In this world he was the alien and he hoped Fie didn't think he looked strange.

"Y-you don't have to clean there..." His words cut off in a gasp when Fie's clawed fingers ran carefully over his sack.

"They're outside always?" Fie seemed to understand that area was delicate and he applied the salt with feather light touches.

"Yes...aren't yours?" Matthew grit and his cock pulsed.

"No..." The grains in Fie's hand had melted like salt and he ran the residue up Matthew's shaft.

"Ah! Not the top!"

Fie halted before the grains touched Matthew's sensitive glands and trailed his fingers down to tap Matthew's inner thigh. "Lift up."

If Matthew had flushed before he was sure steam was coming out of his ears now.

He shut his eyes in resignation and propped up on his sore arms. Clawed fingers ran between his buttocks and rubbed over his anus.

A wet lick on his tip had his eyes flying open and Matthew yelped.

His voice echoed throughout the cave and a series of small yips and howls instantly answered him from a neighbouring spring.

A deep bark silenced them and Fie's shoulders shook with silent laughter.

"Sorry." The alien's black eyes twinkled as he pulled Matthew gently back down on the ledge.

Fie rinsed away the grains with palmfuls of water while Matthew breathed heavily. His cock ached and he couldn't resist reaching for the smaller boy.

"No." Fie's soft voice didn't make him any less authoritative as he lifted and passed Matthew the bowl. "You do for me now."

Matthew frowned at the strange wording and the tease, but he settled between Fie's legs.

He knew a little bit about cleaning another person. He'd washed Jamie when he was younger, but the thought of his little brother brought out an icy stab in his chest and his erection wilted instantly.

His eyes grew hot, but he refused to cry and poured the crystals into his palm with trembling fingers.

Fie whined and leaned down, but this time it was Matthew that pulled away. "I'm okay."

He wasn't okay and they both knew it. But if Fie touched him now, he would fall apart.

Fie watched the human with lowered ears, but didn't reach for him again. Matthew drew in another painful breath and started on the smaller boy's arms.

Once his hands began moving they quickly remembered what to do; scrubbing Fie's furred chest, his slender neck and shoulders.

The alien murmured instructions and Matthew focused on following them.

"Rub in circles."

"Scratch beneath the fur."

"A little harder."

Matthew soon learned that Fie loved getting his nape scratched. His white mouth opened a little and he crooned when Matthew used his nails.

The alien's bushy tail was another matter. The majority of it was fur that flattened with water and the muscle beneath it felt like a warm branch. Fie didn't like getting it cleaned at all and he quickly tugged it away.

When Matthew reached Fie's feet the pain in his heart was briefly overshadowed by fascination.

The bottom of the alien's foot was covered in a hard cushion of fur and Matthew could feel rough pads beneath it, like a dog or a large cat paw.

The black claws on Fie's toes were longer than on his hands and Matthew meticulously cleaned each digit, making Fie close his eyes and hum in contentment.

He finally reached the alien's upper thighs and paused. He'd politely avoided staring until now and he was completely stumped.

Fie's groin was covered in the same sleek white fur as the rest of him, with just the tip of a glistening black oval peeking through the strands.

For a dumbfounded second Matthew thought that was the alien's entire cock, but then he remembered the feel of it rubbing against him the previous night and Fie's words earlier.

"It...It's inside?" He looked up uncertainly and Fie nodded, large eyes still partially closed.

"Yes." Fie pressed two slender fingers to his pelvis and a glossy black shaft spilled out.

Matthew stared, wishing the light was stronger. It wasn't as long as his own penis, but it was wider and the head was shaped like a bullet.

His heart thumped and he took a steadying breath of damp air and followed Fie's example; cleaning the skin gently with the crystals residue.

The member was very warm and very smooth and with each press a slippery substance coated its surface. Matthew swallowed nervously and his own cock stirred back to life.

Fie sighed and pushed once into Matthew's fist, before clenching his hands against the stone. "...that's enough."

Matthew reluctantly moved his hands down and felt the subtle bumps of testicles beneath the pelt. They were entirely hidden and he cleaned the fur gently before sliding his hand further.

He found a smooth pucker that radiated heat and cleaned it with the same firm pressure Fie had used.

The alien sucked in a hard breath and his hips jerked.

A clawed hand gripped Matthew's wrist and Fie stared down at him, white hair spiking with water and sticking to his cheeks, where his fur thinned to silvery down.

Matthew wet his lips and leaned up just a fraction. Fie's lashes lowered and he abruptly lay back against the stone, opening his arms and spreading his legs. "Hold me."

Matthew clambered up, moving so fast he stumbled and all but fell on top of Fie. The smaller boy whined, pulling Matthew firmly on top of him until they fit together just right.

They kissed hungrily, tongues sliding and hips moving. Their cocks rubbed together and the little grains on Fie's skin melted as their bodies heated.

"Mmmhhh." It felt so good. Better than it had any right to on a rough stone floor.

Fie was just so beautiful and unusual - body hard and slick, undulating against him with needy little whines.

Matthew delved his hands into all that white hair and it felt like wet silk sliding between his fingers.

He tried to hold back, but he was already coming. Muscles seizing and balls tingling as he spurted onto Fie's sticky little cock. Too soon.

Fie gasped and gripped Matthew's buttocks hard. Warmth pulsed against the human's belly an instant later.

"Hmm." Fie crooned and licked Matthew's ear.

The human turned his head and they kissed, moving lazily against each other, pleasuring each other gently until the fire cooled.

Matthew's dick wouldn't have minded another round, but his muscles hurt and the rock scraped against his skin.

Fie felt his discomfort and helped him back in the water to rinse off, before they left the springs.

Matthew didn't see any towels or furs to dry himself with, and Fie didn't offer him one, but the tunnel had thankfully warmed.

They reached the top and the large room was now bustling with life. Lean white haired beings were talking, laughing, snuggling in piles or playing a game of colorful stones on a carved board.

"We'll sit by the fire." Fie murmured in Matthew's ear and led him through the crowd.

Ears turned, liquid black eyes focused on them and the amiable chatter died down.

Matthew could imagine how bizarre he might look to them: skin bare and scrubbed pink, hair dark and penis hanging out for all the world to see.

His throat went dry and he dropped his gaze, clutching Fie's hand tighter.

Two slender males sat on a large fur by the fire and three fuzzy kits played between them. There was plenty of space, but they eyed Matthew suspiciously and didn't move.

Fie's black tongue darted out to wet his lips and for a moment he looked longingly at a tunnel, before lifting his round little chin and facing the couple.

"May we sit?" He spoke softly and one of the male's ears lowered.

For a moment Matthew thought they would refuse, but they shifted their kits with some reluctance and made room.

Matthew sat gratefully on the thick white fur and the warmth from the fire dried his damp skin.

He felt better after a bath, after release, but he was as weary as if he hadn't slept a wink all night.

Fie pushed gently against Matthew's shoulder and he lay down, turning away from the stares to watch the flames from a comfortable distance.

He knew Fie was making a point to include him in this room, and he was grateful, but a chill ran down his spine. The atmosphere felt tolerant, not welcoming, and he knew he'd have to tread carefully.

Fie nestled right up against him and folded an arm and a leg across Matthew's waist and hip; showing his support through his actions.

The aliens conversations slowly picked up again, but they were stilted.

Matthew knew, like most kids in school, what it was like to stand up to a group of people. But never one this large...or intimidating.

Fie might be physically small, but he wasn't weak.

Matthew pressed a hand against the fine-boned fingers on his chest and felt a warmth flutter inside him that had nothing to do with the fire.


End file.
